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Half Hour Harry Hat

Introduction: Half Hour Harry Hat

Make a hat just in time to wear to your local Harry Potter party! The hat is modeled after the standard issue brimless Hogwarts student hat. The last book comes out on the 21st of July 2007. I'll be attending one wearing this felt hat that I made in just 30 minutes.

Step 1: Materials

Gather these before you start:
-Black felt or fleece fabric, MUST be fairly stiff to stand up a bit.
-gold felt or fabric, contrasting felt for letter H (Could also use house colors, e.g., green and silver in an S for Slytherin)
-Measuring tape
-Scissors
-Tailors chalk, or other light colored writing tool
-Black thread
-needle, or sewing machine
-hotmelt glue or more thread to attach the crest

Step 2: Measure and Calculate

First, take your tape measure (if you don't have one you can use a bit of non stretchy string or fabric) and measure the circumference of your head where you want your hat to sit.You'll be cutting out a piece of fabric a little wider than a quarter of a circle.

Take the measurement of the circumference of your head, multiply it by 4 and plug it into the equation for finding the circumference of a circle (2 pi r=C).

To see how I did this, check out the graphic: (it also has the awful sketch from the hogwarts crest.)

Take the measurement you get for R the Radius and add an inch or so for your seam allowance.

Step 3: Draw the Pattern and Cut Out

If you have more fabric than I did, you can make your angle greater than 90 degrees, which will have a better shape.

Now, use your measuring tape or a piece of string to make a compass to draw on your hat's outline.

holding the chalk against on end of the string in one hand, pin the other end of the string to the tip of the hat with your other hand. Swing the chalk from one measurement mark to the other in a curved line.

This creates the line for the base of your hat. Cut along this line.

Step 4: Pin and Sew

Choose an inside and outside for your hat. Write on the inside so you know which is which. Fold your hat in half with the inside facing out.

Pin up the straight side, and try it on your head for fit (please watch out for the pins)
If the fit is wrong, make your changes now. Much easier to mess up at this point and reposition pins than to sew it wrong and have to rip the seam out.

If it fits well, you're ready to sew it up!
Use your machine, or sew by hand, and make one straight seam up the side.
I wanted my hat a little shorter, with a more rounded tip, so I angled my seam in a bit towards the top (see last photo)

You can also turn the bottom of your hat up and hem it, but since we are using fleece or felt it will not unravel. A hem would also add extra bulk...

Step 5: Finish the Hat

Cut the extra fabric next to the seam so that your hat is not too bulky.
Leave 1/4 inch for a seam allowance.

Turn your hat back right side out, and poke a pencil into the tip to turn the tip all the way out.

Step 6: Make the Crest

Take your gold and contrasting felt, and make a crest for your hat:

Use the gold (or lighter color) to cut out a shield shape. I drew mine freehand while looking at some photographs. You could also print one out and trace it. Cut out a letter in the darker color (or an animal to represent your house). You can sew, or glue these on to the front of your hat.

You can wear your hat pointed straight up, or let the point drop.

Enjoy the instructable, and if you make one, message me and I will add a picture of you wearing it if you like!

Thank you so so so much for posting the calculations! I made an experimental hat now using newspaper, looks good. Ill add little over an inch to my head's circumference to get the best fit I want. You helped a lot by posting this. Thankkss!!!!

This is awesome! Thanks! It's a little late for the 7th book, considering it's nearly a year later, but I'll make one for the next movie. Also, I would have used red or maroon for the 'H' and maybe made it a 'G' for Gryphindor, but yours is more generic. Really cool!